I agree, the financial commitment is what most people use to postpone their career goals.
Two big concerns Luz! I'm curious, what role do you play at that point with the student? How do you guide them in their decision making?
I think the BIGGER challenge is the financial commitment, because sometimes the students want to start classes, but they don’t have the aid to begin the process. And of course the second one is when they don’t have any support to schedule their classes and their personal live, a lot of people have jobs, family, etc. and that becomes a fear for them.
Childcare and finances are difficult challenges to address, Christi. It's critical that as the admissions professional we spend time working to understand the student's situation and help them to generate options to address their challenges.
Here's a technique that can help you to address the money challenge. When a student asks you the cost to attend, it's important that we give them the total cost upfront. The student might respond, "whoa - that's a lot of money!" At this point, you can ask them "compared to what?" to determine what other schools or options they're considering. Once you have that information, you have the ability to explore each of those options with your student to assist them in determining which option is the best fit for them.
How do you think that might work the next time you come across the cost challenge?
For me, the hardest challenges to overcome are money and childcare. Most times when you meet with someone that can't afford things as it is, it is very difficult for them to think about paying an application fee, book costs, etc. Childcare is also a difficult obstacle for some b/c they have never had to leave their child before and some really can't afford to pay child care expenses. But with some determination and true belief that college is what they need to be successful, working with them on a solution is possible.
Stacey it sounds like you have run into this experience a few times. I think you have a great awareness that it is about "fit" not only for the school but for the student as well. I am curious what you have done to combat this. Has it been successful?
I think the most difficult challenges is the financial commitment. I do agree it is very difficult to work with some that is so willing to go to school, however, they can't even afford to pay for books or the application fee. I know that is why we have different Grant and Loan programs, but still for some people you see how desperately they want this, and it is hard when you can't help. But you do have to look at the whole situation and then you have to be able to see what is good for the student and the school.
You're not alone on this Doug. Many individuals who work with students find these challenges difficult to address. What's interesting about challenges, is that they typically don't resolve themselves and in a number of situations will prevent the student from moving forward. Since you are aware of the fact that these situations might make you uncomfortable, how might you handle these situations in the future?
Probably the most challenging are the ones that involve the student and their personal relationships (scheduling, money, childcare) after they've indicated a broken support system. I'm sometimes reluctant to pry into the private interactions of a couple.
There always seems to be those "tough to ask" questions for reps, doesn't there? I couldn't agree with you more about the importance of reading people and respecting boundaries to help build trust. The good news is that when reps spend time building meaningful rapport and trust with their students, they usually find that there are very little "tough to ask" questions.
A large challenge for admissions representatives is finding the balance on the "tough to ask" questions especially on a first visit or phone call. Establishing that level of trust is key. While going under the surface is important, it is also imperative to "read" people and respect boundaries. Finances and personal problems top this list.
You're not alone on this one, Lauren. And in some cases there is little you can do to overcome some of the financial challenges your students are facing. However, in some cases it may not be about the dollar figure but rather, "Can I afford it" and/or "is it worth it". These underlying questions go beyond a simple presentation of tuition.
What might you do at this point with your student to help them begin to think about their answers to these underlying questions?
This can be a difficualt challenge, Raj. When this happens, it may be helpful for you and your student to re-visit some of the other options (outside of your school) you discussed during your visit. What do you think, Raj?
It sounds to me like you try and put yourself in your students shoes to understand where they're coming from and what they may be dealing with, Elizabeth. Acknowledging the challenges your students face demonstrates your empathy for their situation. How do you think empathy might help you when discussing the student's challenges?
Financial challenges are the hardest for me to find solutions to. Some students just do not have the means for the program they are interested in.
When a student does not pass thier enterance test after several attempts.
It is most difficult to discuss their finances and a high tuition and payment plan when they barely make it day by day. I do not want to feel pushy about making it sound like it is not a big deal that they will have a large payment for the next 10 years of their life especially when they are have not worked in awhile and have multiple kids.
